The Port of Houston will experience a pivotal 2017 as new and expanded petrochemical plants in the area start churning out what soon could be an additional 500,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units of annual plastic resin exports.

Authorities have expanded a program designed to curb traffic and pollution in the Port of New York and New Jersey by awarding grants to the owners of older drayage trucks so that they can be replaced by newer vehicles.

Industry insiders say that although the work stoppage hasn’t roiled holiday shipments, it has frustrated Amazon’s trademark fulfillment process and should be an early warning for the retailer, which is expected to move a record number of shipments this holiday season.